110 HR 1410 IH: Emergency Child Care for the Gulf
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-03-08
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the
Emergency Child Care for the Gulf
Coast Region Act of 2007
.
2.The Congress finds as follows:
(1)Studies have stated that reopening child
care facilities was crucial for helping parents get back to work and businesses
to recover.
(2)Studies have shown
that without available and affordable child care economic recovery will be
greatly impeded and lead to a reduction in worker productivity.
(3)In New Orleans
before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the city had 1,912 day-care slots at 266
licensed centers, but now 80 percent of those centers and 75 percent of those
slots are gone.
(4)The National
Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies reported in a study
published by the Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute that
between 62 to 94 percent of the licensed child care slots in the three coastal
counties hardest hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Mississippi were
lost.
(5)In Jackson County,
Mississippi, initial assessment found that one-fourth of the county’s licensed
centers were damaged beyond repair, representing 11 percent of the county’s
licensed child care capacity. Another 39 percent of centers needed repairs.
<enum>I</enum><header>Emergency child
care business incentive grant program for the Gulf Coast Region</header>
<section id="H45D958BCE3A54BE7AE9D001F6098C810"><enum>101.</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall establish a program to make grants to—</text>
<paragraph id="HC0A9B4453B4C404A98A18EC3FBF13BC7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>businesses and
consortia in the Gulf Coast Region—</text>
<subparagraph id="H18E36DC1BED64263925DD518A3B3BADB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to pay start-up
costs incurred to provide child care services; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H22E5EED3209D452AAF96CB5637AEFEF5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to provide
additional child care services needed by the employees of such businesses;
and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA97287D7D12B44DF982E50BBFD9908D1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>nonprofit business
organizations in the Gulf Coast Region to provide technical information and
assistance to enable businesses to provide child care services.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H48E3F6441BE843AEBBB0BD6393756C8B"><enum>102.</enum><header>Eligibility to
receive grants</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">To be eligible
to receive a grant under section 101, a business, nonprofit business
organization, or consortium shall submit to the Secretary an application in
accordance with section 103.</text>
</section><section id="H690E51ADCA824F18B0A93100F0A3D6CC"><enum>103.</enum><header>Application</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The application required by section 102
shall be submitted by a business, nonprofit business organization, or
consortium at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require by rule, except that such application shall
contain—</text>
<paragraph id="HA0FFDCEB077A4FCF83489BA6303F5601"><enum>(1)</enum><text>an assurance that
the applicant shall expend, for the purpose for which such grant is made, an
amount not less than 10 percent of the amount of such grant;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8D45BCF2C141487BB9BCCF70393D7E00"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an assurance that
such applicant will expend such grant for the use specified in paragraph (1) or
(2) of section 101, as the case may be;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3021C766E3F049C3006846668CED1236"><enum>(3)</enum><text>an assurance that
such applicant will employ strategies to ensure that child care services
provided by such applicant, or provided with the technical information and
assistance made available by such applicant, are provided at affordable rates,
and on an equitable basis, to low- and moderate-income employees;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H82CCE17BB78B480490B141386106D272"><enum>(4)</enum><text>an assurance that
such applicant—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE4FD0BCDD94D45069582D350C0AB1176"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of a
business or consortium, will comply with all State and local licensing
requirements applicable to such business or consortium concerning the provision
of child care services; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H238903CBA443499FB4F030D681855B34"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of a
nonprofit business organization, will employ procedures to ensure that
technical information and assistance provided under this title by such business
organization will be provided only to businesses that provide child care
services in compliance with all State and local licensing requirements
applicable to child care providers in such State; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H20C62BE2D3F64864A51757AA477559DB"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in the case of a
business or consortium, an assurance that if the employees of such applicant do
not require all the child care services for which such grant and the funds
required by paragraph (1) are to be expended by such applicant, the excess of
such child care services shall be made available to families in the community
in which such applicant is located.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H23682BFF3C084F78BE78A7F9AF39B6B2"><enum>104.</enum><header>Selection of
grantees</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">For purposes of
selecting applicants to receive grants under this title, the Secretary shall
give priority to businesses that have fewer than 200 full-time employees. To
the extent practicable, the Secretary shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H1C4DABF66B3B497DBA24E05D3B688983"><enum>(1)</enum><text>make grants
equitably under this title to applicants located in all geographical regions of
the United States; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H74E98407895C492193038D009E0875AB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>give priority to
applicants for grants under section 101(1).</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="HF78C956621144977A54C3460C505A645"><enum>105.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">As used in this title:</text>
<paragraph id="HEC75C7DDCEA74D57B1A835FAA7E22FBA"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Business</header><text>The
term <term>business</term> means a person engaged in commerce whose primary
activity is not providing child care services.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H58956C58E125454ABD1271262D71F3D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Child care
services</header><text>The term <term>child care services</term> means care for
a child that is—</text>
<subparagraph id="HB1587FB6F74E4009BDC87D70F60007E4"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provided on the
site at which a parent of such child is employed or at a site nearby in the
community; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H46A516ADEC11454EBBA1AA5D75D14027"><enum>(B)</enum><text>subsidized at
least in part by the business that employs such parent.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H86A2E410423B45D2942E891D25C6A9A4"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Consortium</header><text>The
term <term>consortium</term> means 4 or more businesses acting jointly. A
consortium may also include a nonprofit private organization.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H96323FA903AA4D34007100AE031070DE"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Secretary</header><text>The
term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of Health and Human
Services.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H9577B48201554E5CABC44F3106EAF76B"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Gulf Coast
Region</header><text>The term <term>Gulf Coast Region</term> means the area for
which the President has declared the existence of a major disaster, in
accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170">42 U.S.C. 5170</external-xref>), as a consequence of Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H51B85E5E781B49A2A7DEA0986493C3F4"><enum>106.</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $1,500,000 for fiscal
year 2008.</text>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Emergency
development of a child care training infrastructure in the Gulf Coast
Region</header>
<section id="H3595BF5CFBF049ABB3AAD8AEC8F282E7"><enum>201.</enum><header>Grants</header>
<subsection id="H2559CE05F5CA48408B9C123DA3088A2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authority</header><text>The
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall award grants to eligible entities
to develop distance learning child care training technology infrastructures in
the Gulf Coast Region and to develop model technology-based training courses
for child care providers and child care workers in the Gulf Coast Region, to be
provided through distance learning programs made available through the
infrastructure. The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent possible, ensure
that such grants are awarded in those areas of the Gulf Coast Region with the
fewest training opportunities for child care providers.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HCC479CDECD2E427A85B4D6C5CA3DF8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility
requirements</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection
(a), an entity shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H2440D4F7AFBC4FBE9E00D8BAC50AA56"><enum>(1)</enum><text>develop the
technological and logistical aspects of the infrastructure described in this
section and have the capability of implementing and maintaining the
infrastructure;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H18160BC7E8B544228C59DC4C80AA4EF8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to the maximum
extent possible, develop partnerships with secondary schools, institutions of
higher education, State and local government agencies, and private child care
organizations for the purpose of sharing equipment, technical assistance, and
other technological resources, including—</text>
<subparagraph id="HD1D80488D98E4250A45E0960B7FC69BE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>developing sites
from which individuals may access the training;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBE6B54E2318C4C1F83888C576ED5E76"><enum>(B)</enum><text>converting standard
child care training courses to programs for distance learning; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H859BC06F1A1F497581488B65F6156805"><enum>(C)</enum><text>promoting ongoing
networking among program participants; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE3F1786DECE745BCBA36008BC233C5F"><enum>(3)</enum><text>develop a mechanism
for participants to—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE2ED751ED66D441B8C3D1F39ACD65D3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>evaluate the
effectiveness of the infrastructure, including the availability and
affordability of the infrastructure, and the training offered through the
infrastructure; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1133F4807FD845EB00B61288975C3E56"><enum>(B)</enum><text>make
recommendations for improvements to the infrastructure.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HD11E58F940904FDDB8A0CEB93032406B"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Application</header><text>To
be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary
may require, and that includes—</text>
<paragraph id="HFBE2F9B649D44B6D941CF55070DAF6E0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a
description of the partnership organizations through which the distance
learning programs will be made available;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCB148E2C4AF649FEB705254F29134DCB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the capacity of
the infrastructure in terms of the number and type of distance learning
programs that will be made available;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4B4623C446054EEFA759CD9AD745E2C"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the expected number
of individuals to participate in the distance learning programs; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8EB0ECC275FE4340B9136157AA89C45B"><enum>(4)</enum><text>such additional
information as the Secretary may require.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H759516C265B54C61B9980148B10200BF"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Limitation on
fees</header><text>No entity receiving a grant under this section may collect
fees from an individual for participation in a distance learning program funded
in whole or in part under this section that exceed the pro rata share of the
amount expended by the entity to provide materials for the program and to
develop, implement, and maintain the infrastructure (minus the amount of the
grant awarded under this section).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H62C287ABFAED4C1A8F9E453DD453DD39"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Rule of
construction</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed as
requiring a child care provider to subscribe to or complete a distance learning
program made available under this section.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H989204C3E0A6464DA7C5A76C5B3E69C4"><enum>202.</enum><header>Definition</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title, the term <term>Gulf Coast
Region</term> means the area for which the President has declared the existence
of a major disaster, in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170">42 U.S.C. 5170</external-xref>), as a consequence
of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.</text>
</section><section id="H76363AEF4A814037BD8353446E11678D"><enum>203.</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $1,000,000 for fiscal
year 2008.</text>
</section><enum>III</enum><header>Emergency child
care provider development and retention grant program in the Gulf Coast
Region</header>
<section id="H78B7A1E1AE1A401B9DF9016E95635C86"><enum>301.</enum><header>Grants</header>
<subsection id="H879BA0C7EBBE4EFDBF51F1CDD3CCA962"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make
grants available to eligible child care providers in the Gulf Coast Region in
accordance with this section, to improve the qualifications and promote the
retention of qualified child care providers.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HFE0DEADE527D403F955B4932322DA6EC"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility To
receive grants</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, a child care provider shall—</text>
<paragraph id="HB12C9D0F97364E219F229361DDA4473D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>have a child
development associate credential (or equivalent), an associate of the arts
degree in the area of child development or early child education, a
baccalaureate degree in the area of child development or early child education,
or a baccalaureate degree in an unrelated field; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H99B1554C399D459996C3B2B2CD770F9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>be
employed as a child care provider for not less than 1 calendar year, or (if the
provider is employed on the date of the eligibility determination in a child
care program that operates for less than a full calendar year) the program
equivalent of 1 calendar year, ending on the date of the application for such
grant, except that not more than 3 months of education related to child
development or to early child education obtained during the corresponding
calendar year may be treated as employment that satisfies the requirements of
this paragraph.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H6192ACE820844D8F9CEDE8CF00F53207"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Preservation of
eligibility</header><text>A State shall not take into consideration whether a
child care provider is receiving, may receive, or may be eligible to receive
any funds or benefits under any other provision of this Act for purposes of
selecting eligible child care providers to receive grants under this
section.</text>
</subsection></section><enum>IV</enum><header>Child care
provider scholarship program</header>
<section id="HCB7865AC289749B7AD0009CCFB38D013"><enum>401.</enum><header>Scholarship
grants</header>
<subsection id="HD6718C07CB4A4EB690A02416F487A82"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make
scholarship grants available to eligible child care providers in accordance
with this section to improve their educational qualifications to provide child
care services.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H4CC13DD5B5E148E6AF2420A7915E0563"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility
requirement for scholarship grants</header><text>To be eligible to receive a
scholarship grant under this section, a child care provider shall be employed
as a child care provider for not less than 1 calendar year, or (if the provider
is employed on the date of the eligibility determination in a child care
program that operates for less than a full calendar year) the program
equivalent of 1 calendar year, ending on the date of the application for such
grant.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HB98EC3B3A52A441184F54C2016A4DDF6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Selection of
grantees</header><text>For purposes of selecting eligible child care providers
to receive scholarship grants under this section and determining the amounts of
such grants, a State shall not—</text>
<paragraph id="HBE6F9E04F3F240BEA4F56C11009C493D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>take into
consideration whether a child care provider is receiving, may receive, or may
be eligible to receive any funds or benefits under any other provision of this
Act, or under any other Federal or State law that provides funds for
educational purposes; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HECAE396FDAC444CEB329F4988DAAE215"><enum>(2)</enum><text>consider as
resources of such provider any funds such provider is receiving, may receive,
or may be eligible to receive under any other provision of this Act, under any
other Federal or State law that provides funds for educational purposes, or
from a private entity.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H983B316EC4D14E89B7B580EF00A4839B"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Cost-sharing
required</header><text>The amount of a scholarship grant made under this
section to an eligible child care provider shall be equal to or less than the
cost of the educational or training program for which such grant is
made.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HDE10675F2F76493BA146741EB9282B7F"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Annual maximum
scholarship grant amount</header><text>The maximum aggregate dollar amount of a
scholarship grant made to an eligible child care provider under this section in
a fiscal year shall be $7,500.</text>
</subsection></section>